Don't Fear the Reaper

46) Ah Yes... Units of Measure

A/N: I LIIIIIIVVVVEEEE!!!!! Also, semi long chapter for my favorite people in the world <333

"Alfred, do you mind making another bowl of soup for him?" Dick asked as he got into the center of the room.

The elderly man just raised his eyebrows in surprise before nodding and leaving the cave, calling that he would be back momentarily.

Jason looked at him in confusion. "What happened in there? We had it muted but..."

"You looked like you were going to kill him," Tim said bluntly, though he also looked shocked by Dick's apparent good mood.

"Oh, and I wanted to," Dick said with a light chuckle. "I was making progress and then accidentally overstepped, so then he started listing the reasons I was to blame for all of your collected suffering-"

They all made sounds of objection, but he waved them off.

"So I lightly attacked him, told him that all he ever brought to the world was suffering and pain-"

This time it was sounds of them choking on air.

"So he told me to just kill him to end the suffering-"

Sounds of surprise, along with Tim falling out of his chair.

"And then I calmed down and basically told him that I wasn't going to kill him, obviously, and that instead I was gonna treat him like a human being and keep showing up for him, even though I kinda hate him right now," Dick finished, chuckling as he looked at the others stare at him in shock. "I acknowledged that he was lashing out because he felt trapped and had lost control of his own life, so I gave him some control. I said he could eat and I could treat his wrists that he cut while fighting his restraints, or I could just leave and try to stop you guys from putting an NG tube in him for as long as I could. He was quiet for a while, but eventually said he would try to eat."

The others just stared at him silently.

"Did... did you get through to him by nearly attacking him?" Duke muttered, looking like he was just about ready to file for emancipation.

Dick shrugged. "I think it was more about the acknowledging his pain and giving him some of his autonomy back, but yeah, especially."

Jason, who's face had been frozen in shock, began to smile. His eyes looked glassy for a moment, but he quickly blinked until it was gone. "Is... is this actually gonna work?"

Dick's smile faded, a serious look taking over his face again. "I have no idea. This is progress, but... he's been here a week and this is the first time he's even given us an inch in the right direction. To get him stable, we need a mile, but to get him to be fully recovered... that's a marathon's distance away." 

The others sat with that as Alfred returned, passing a new tray to Dick. The eldest brother took it in one hand and grabbed a small med kit with the other. He made his way back down the hallway and towards the room, struggling momentarily to balance everything in one hand while he scanned his palm at the door. 

Nico looked at him wearily as he walked into the room, his legs crisscrossed beneath him, back ridged, and his hands resting in his lap. It was a pose that Dick remembered Damian sitting in often when he had first arrived at the manor. His little brother had explained that it was the position he had been trained to sit in while waiting to be called upon. 

Dick sat the tray of food in front of the kid. "Would you like me to wrap your wrist before you eat, during, or after?" he asked, trying to give him as many opportunities to make his own decisions as he could.